Response to KNAW Report on Frisian Studies

Last Tuesday, the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) presented the report 'The Future of Frisian Studies' at the provincial house in Leeuwarden. Dean Thony Visser and Professor Arjen Versloot were invited to speak. Dean Thony Visser responded positively to the report, stating, "A clear and comprehensive advice with many recommendations that we can agree with."

Thony Visser: "Frisian is European cultural heritage as a minority language. It is important to protect that, and we, as universities, also feel a responsibility in this regard. We see that extra attention is needed to visibly and sustainably anchor Frisian in academic education and research. We are happy to contribute to that as the Faculty of Arts."

Currently, within the Faculty of Arts, one can study Frisian by choosing the Frisian track within the broader bachelor program Minorities & Multilingualism. The KNAW advises the government to invest in an independent Bachelor's program in Frisian. Whether such a program can be specifically implemented within the University of Groningen is yet to be explored. Thony Visser stated, "We are eager to discuss this with all parties involved."